I have to agree with you, his decisions both on the level of equipment he carried and how he reacted to the situation were about par. He did well to keep his family alive for a week or more before making the decision to go for help. His decisions were well with in the confines of reason (until hypothermia started to take him of course), and his family survived if he didn't.

People on this forum generally have a skewed way of looking at the situation. I know I do. My went on car trips similar to what was described in the article. The difference, and what has shaped my perspective, is that my dad had spent several years organizing summer field camps on the north slope of Alaska. In driving around Wyoming in a smaller car then Kim was driving he still made sure to carry a two person cowboy sleeping roll, a stove, food, and a variety of other things. I know now thats optimal, but not typical.

So, even though he died, I think Kim did fairly well for a typical level of preparation. Maybe it will spur a few people to a survival mindset. But that level of preparation will continue to be typical and result in amazing survival tales and tragic news stories.